Safety and Efficacy of Intravesical Epinephrine Instillation in Patients with Intractable Lower Urinary Tract Hematuria - A Novel Approach.

OBJECTIVE

To treat intractable hematuria with intravesical instillation of epinephrine.

METHODS

Sixty patients were treated with intravesical instillation of epinephrine at Mackay Memorial Hospital. The control group was composed of 60 patients who were treated with standard-of-care cystoscopic electrocautery fulguration. Under general anesthesia, epinephrine-treated group were injected with 150 mL of diluted epinephrine (1:10,000) through cystoscopy, followed by bladder irrigation with 1:100,000-diluted epinephrine at the ward. Successful hemostasis was defined as hematuria resolution within 1 month post-treatment without additional invasive procedures.

RESULTS

In the 60 patients who underwent intravesical instillation of epinephrine, radiation cystitis was the most common etiology (65.0%). Fifty-two patients (86.7%) required no additional therapy within 1 month after one course of intravesical epinephrine instillation treatment compared with 28 patients (46.7%) in the electrocautery fulguration-control group (P <.001). We observed a significant decrease in both the median length of hospitalization (P = .049) and the need for additional invasive procedures (P <.001) in the epinephrine group. In addition, cardiopulmonary monitoring of mean blood pressure, mean heart rate, and mean respiratory rate demonstrated no significant differences after epinephrine treatment.

CONCLUSION

In this study, intravesical instillation of epinephrine was an innovative method of hemostasis for intractable lower urinary tract hematuria with a success rate of 86.7%, compared to 46.7% in the control group, and significantly reduced the number of additional procedures required and the length of hospitalization. It was well-tolerated by all patients, and was a safe and effective treatment modality for intractable hematuria or bladder hemorrhage.